Global Day of Education to #CloseBases – IPB

World BEYOND War launched a campaign on the Global Day of Education to #CloseBases, inviting organizations and individuals worldwide to plan local educational events about military bases on October 4, 2025.

The thousands of military bases, both foreign and domestic, around the world are a critical piece of the war machine that must be dismantled. Closing bases is a necessary step to shift the global security paradigm towards a demilitarized approach that centers common security — no one is safe until all are safe.

Here are the top 5 reasons why we’re calling for a Global Day of Education to Close Bases:

Bases often perpetuate colonialism. From Panama to Guam to Puerto Rico to Okinawa to dozens of other locations across the world, militaries have taken valuable land from local populations, often pushing out Indigenous people in the process, without their consent and without reparations.
Bases cost an exorbitant amount of $$. The cost of U.S. foreign military bases alone is estimated at $80 billion a year.
Bases exacerbate environmental damage and the climate crisis. It is well documented at hundreds of sites around the world that military bases leach toxic so-called “forever chemicals” (PFAS/PFOS) into local water supplies, which has had devastating health consequences for nearby communities.
Bases can have violent and harmful impacts on local communities. Militaries have a notorious legacy of sexual violence, including kidnapping, rape, and murders of women and girls in nearby communities.
Bases heighten tensions and provoke war-making. Bases serve as launchpads for wars. Additionally, bases make locations into targets for attack.

Planning Zoom Calls on September 4, 2025

You’re invited to join one or both of two planning Zoom calls on which various experts will help you plan your events. They are scheduled for 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on September 4 (That second one is on Sept 5 in certain parts of the world!)

First call: You can click here to register for the first call.

Second call: You can click here to register for the second call.